DENVER — One of Colorado’s oldest breweries is making a bold play for national dominance in the competitive light beer market. Tivoli Brewing Co., originally founded in 1859, has reemerged as a modern contender with its flagship product, Outlaw Light Beer — a crisp, Kölsch-style lager designed to rival household names like Bud Light, Coors Light, and Miller Lite.
After shuttering operations in 1969 due to a combination of flooding, labor unrest, and the rise of macrobrewers, Tivoli was revived in 2012 by entrepreneur Corey Marshall. The relaunch leveraged historical recipes and former brewing talent, initially serving as both a niche lager project and a teaching platform for brewing students at Metropolitan State University of Denver.
By 2022, under the leadership of new CEO Ari Opsahl — a former Anheuser-Busch InBev executive — Tivoli shifted its strategy to focus almost entirely on Outlaw. The light lager has since become the cornerstone of the company’s operations, representing over 85% of its production.
Brewed with Magnum hops and pilsner malt, Outlaw Light Beer features a hybrid German ale yeast and boasts a 4.2% ABV with only 105 calories per can. Its clean, crisp profile, affordable pricing, and rapid brewing process allow it to compete on both flavor and cost. In many markets, a 24-pack retails for as low as $17 to $21.99.
To meet rising demand, Tivoli moved production in 2023 from Denver’s historic Auraria campus to the larger Gold Buckle Beer facility in La Junta. This expansion supports the company’s 2025 production goal of 200,000 barrels — a massive leap from the 3,000 barrels of Outlaw brewed in 2022.
“Outlaw’s rise isn’t luck — it’s been earned through relentless focus, Outlaw hustle, and a product that delivers every time,” Opsahl stated in a company press release. “We set out to make a light beer that punches above its weight — full of flavor, priced right, and built for the people who live life their own authentic way.”
Since its launch, Outlaw has expanded rapidly. Now sold in 45 states, the brand is expected to achieve full nationwide distribution by the end of 2025. Its retail footprint includes major chains such as Walmart, Costco, Kroger, Whole Foods, Safeway, HEB, Circle K, and Buc-ee’s. Tivoli has also ramped up its visibility through aggressive marketing and strategic partnerships.
Celebrity equity partners, including country-rock artists HARDY and Koe Wetzel, have played a key role in boosting the brand’s cultural presence. HARDY’s JIM BOB World Tour features Outlaw as the exclusive beer partner, while Wetzel has embraced the brand’s image and invested in its future. A limited-edition HARDY-branded can, featuring hidden prizes, is part of the national rollout.
“What I love about the brand is that it’s not pretentious — it’s just good beer, plain and simple,” said Wetzel in a statement. “It fits the lifestyle we live and how our fans live. That’s why I took an equity stake.”
In addition to music events, Outlaw is also sponsoring NASCAR driver Jeffrey Earnhardt, supporting NHRA drag racers through Elite Motorsports, and even backing the U.S. Open Pickleball Championship.
As craft breweries face growing pressure to compete with macrobrewers, Tivoli’s approach offers a potential playbook. By focusing on high-volume production, national distribution, and streamlined branding, the company has demonstrated that independence and scalability need not be mutually exclusive.
With a production rate that has grown more than 65-fold since 2022 and aggressive marketing tactics drawing national attention, Tivoli Brewing is positioning Outlaw not just as another light beer — but as a legitimate contender for the American mainstream.
Slogan: “America deserves a new light beer.” Tivoli Brewing is betting Outlaw is it.
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